Richard "Billy" Vaughn was a singer, multi-instrumentalist and orchestra le… Read Full Bio ↴Richard "Billy" Vaughn was a singer, multi-instrumentalist and orchestra leader.
He was born in Glasgow, Kentucky, where his father was a barber who loved music and inspired Billy to teach himself to play the mandolin at age 3, while suffering a case of the measles. He went on to learn a number of other instruments.
In 1941, Vaughn joined the United States National Guard for what had been planned as a one-year assignment, but when World War II broke out, he was sent abroad till the war ended in 1945. He decided to make music a career when he was discharged from the army at the end of the war, and attended Western Kentucky State College, now known as Western Kentucky University, majoring in music composition. He had apparently learned barbering from his father, because he did some while studying at Western Kentucky to support himself financially, when he was not able to get jobs playing the piano at local night clubs and lounges. While he was a student there, three other students, Jimmy Sacca, Donald McGuire and Seymour Spiegelman, who had formed a vocal trio, The Hilltoppers, recruited Vaughn to play the piano with them. He soon added his voice to theirs, converting the trio to a quartet. As a member of the group, he also wrote their first hit song, Trying, which charted in 1952.
In 1954 he left the group to join Dot Records in Gallatin, Tennessee as music director. He subsequently formed his own orchestra, which had a big hit in that same year with Melody of Love. He went on to have many more hits over the next decade and a half, and based purely on chart successes, was the most successful orchestra leader of all time.
He was born in Glasgow, Kentucky, where his father was a barber who loved music and inspired Billy to teach himself to play the mandolin at age 3, while suffering a case of the measles. He went on to learn a number of other instruments.
In 1941, Vaughn joined the United States National Guard for what had been planned as a one-year assignment, but when World War II broke out, he was sent abroad till the war ended in 1945. He decided to make music a career when he was discharged from the army at the end of the war, and attended Western Kentucky State College, now known as Western Kentucky University, majoring in music composition. He had apparently learned barbering from his father, because he did some while studying at Western Kentucky to support himself financially, when he was not able to get jobs playing the piano at local night clubs and lounges. While he was a student there, three other students, Jimmy Sacca, Donald McGuire and Seymour Spiegelman, who had formed a vocal trio, The Hilltoppers, recruited Vaughn to play the piano with them. He soon added his voice to theirs, converting the trio to a quartet. As a member of the group, he also wrote their first hit song, Trying, which charted in 1952.
In 1954 he left the group to join Dot Records in Gallatin, Tennessee as music director. He subsequently formed his own orchestra, which had a big hit in that same year with Melody of Love. He went on to have many more hits over the next decade and a half, and based purely on chart successes, was the most successful orchestra leader of all time.
Sail Along Silvery Moon
Billy Vaughn Lyrics
Instrumental
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
@judyolvera7360
I fell in love ❤️ with this song when I was 10 years old. I am 76 and still love this song. Great music back then ❤❤❤
@bwhllh
I am like you only I am 81, been listening to this for over 60 years and I love it.
@ronmay5589
Takes me back to 1955, when I was nine years old, and I would hear it on the radio. I can still feel it. So much feeling those saxes, and the rhythm of this masterpiece. Hearing it again made me sit and think for awhile.
@jurgenseifert7381
⁰88
@Deddi_57
Love this music. It's music for all time and you will hear this music forever. A lot of the new (today) songs you will forget. NEVER the old good songs.
@compulsiveguy55
a wonderful instrumental song and done so well by one of the all time greats Billy Vaughn
@abbie936
Many thanks Rick, have a great week!
@jmrodas9
Beautiful and timeless. One of my favorites through the years. Billy Vaughn played music for all time. The tune sounds just right and is very nice to listen and enjoy.
@MegaSurvivor12
My dad is an ardent of Sax melodies.
We grew up listening to this too. My dad is 85 now... and still send me this to liaten.. how lovely the feeling is...
@francescofilippini1745
O